Improvement in lawn-mowers



W. H. DRAKE.

LawnMowr.

Patented Nov. 22, 1870.

A No. 109,398.

IIII lllillmlnnmlmuNHV I n Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WHITFIELD H. DRAKE, OF MSCONETGONG, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAWN-MOWERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 09.398, dated November 22, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WHITFIELD H. BRAKE, of Musconctcong, county of Warren, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn Mowers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making apart of this specification, in which- Figure l is a top or plan view 0f my improved lawn-mower. Fig. 2 is a side view; Fig. 3, transverse vertical section through the line .r a", Fig. l. Fig. 4. is a detached view of the pinion on the secondary shaft. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the ratcheted second spurgear. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of both the pinion and the driving-spur upon the secondary shaft through line y y, Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 is a detached view of the wedge used for adjusting the stationary cutter relative to the cutters.

The invention relates to anovel construction of the secondary spur-gear and its drivingpinion,whereby a cheap and compact arrangement of the backing-ratchet is provided for.

In the drawing, A A represent the arched or U-shaped side pieces which support the working parts of the mower. These pieces are provided at their ends with arms A1 A2, turned at right angles, and serrated or notched, as at a a. (Shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the serrated portion being in ,an arc of a circle the center of which is at B B are hangers, secured to the side pieces, A A, by means of bolts b. Hangers B B are each formed with a shoulder, b1 b2, the inner faces of these shoulders, which abut against the ends of arms Al A2, being in an arc of a circle corresponding to that of said arms, and also serrated in such manner as to readily lock with them. They are slotted, as shown at b, Fig. 2, so that when the bolts are loosened they may be moved endwise, and adjusted either up or down upon the arms for the purpose of adjusting the height of cut.

C is a shaft, rigidly secured at each end in side pieces, A A. D D are independent carryin g and driving wheels, mounted loosely upon shaft C. They may be secured against ondary spur-gear wheels F F. Gear-wheel F is constructed with a chamber, (shown plainly at F', Figs. 5 and 6,) this chamber being ratcheted, as in Fig. 5, and the sleeve c is provided with a pawl, c', (see Fig. 4,) so that when the parts are in proper working position they allow the pinion to move in one direction without carrying wheel F with it, as will be readily understood.

G G are supporting or friction wheels, mounted upon studs projecting from hangers B. His a spiral cutter-head, the journals h of which extend through the arched'side pieces, A A. This cutter-head has spiral knives h, adj ustably secured to it in any manner which may be preferred or is common in this class of machines. The cutter-head andknives are driven by means of pinions H upon each end, said pinions gearing with the secondary spurgears F F.

K is the handle, forked at its lower end, (shown in Fig. l,)' the ends of the fork being perforated, so as to pass over the ends of either shafts C or E, or the journals of the cuttern head H, as mayfbe desired, by removing the nuts which are employed to secure these parts in proper position.

I is the shoe, bolted to ears I', projecting laterally from the side pieces. '(See Fig. l.) c' is the stationary cutter, held in place by the same bolt which secures the shoe. This sta tionary cutter is adjusted relative to the re Volving cutter by means of wedges il, placed at each end between ears Il and shoe I, the wedge being slotted, as at i2, Fig. 7, where the bolt passes through to permit such movement of the wedge as may be' required to eii'ect the desired adjustment.

The knives of the rotary cutter can be ground by removing the nuts outside of the frame and applying` a crank to the projecting end of the cutter-head journal, when, by turning the cutter backward7 they may be' ground against the stationary knife, this knife having been properly adj usted and spread with emery and oil, or its equivalent.

It will be readily seen that Jche handle may be attached to either of the shafts or journals. Thus the power can be applied at such point as the circumstances of the case may require.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a lawn-mower, the loose pinion E', provided with the sleeve e and pawl e', in combination with the loose driving-Wheel F, provided Wth the ratoheted chamber F', substantially as described.

WHITFIELD H. BRAKE.

Vitnesses LEWIS C. REEsE, CHAs. M. LENDURY. 

